The Worship Relationship

Relationships are difficult, but worth it. The give-and-take of relationships leads, for the most part, to growth between two people. One of the ways we give place to God in our lives is through the relationship of worship. The Bible says that we should worship Him in "Spirit and in Truth (John 4)." When we worship, we must take care to do it in His Spirit and His Truth.

When I am in the midst of worship, one of the things I have learned is not to look at things with my physical and human self. God's perspective is so different and the words Spirit and Truth become so important in worship leading and worship participation. When you decide to worship God as He desires to be worshiped, one of the questions to ask internally is,"Who Is God?"

Simply, God is Love. The book of John in the New Testament is the story of God's love. God's exists outside of our bounds and therefore, His love is bigger than our human boundaries of love. His love is perfect, and holds no grudges or pre-sentiments. Paul said that even death cannot separate us from the love of God (Romans 8). It exists even outside of our limitations!

We also ask, "Who Am I?" in relationship to worship. God's love exists in Truth. He tells us who we are, as well. He lets us know our condition, as imperfect and sinful creatures, and then extends the grace of forgiveness, freely. To worship Him, despite our imperfections, is a wonderful communication with God. When we worship we receive His Truth and He gives us His Spirit, and then we can worship him in honesty.

I Corinthians 2 says: "We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned."

When we worship, we understand God's heart and his intentions toward us and towards the church. We move as one toward Him and toward His will. We don't take His place and with our paltry intentions, ruin what He wants to do. We, as worshipers, must develop a sensitivity to God and to His leadership. This is a Give relationship - God gives to us, we worship Him, and in turn, impart this gift of His Spirit and His Truth to others.

Of course, we are not robots in worship. One of the great truths of the Bible is that God ministers to us according to our receptive hearts and in many different ways. But the fact remains, we were created to worship God and when it is happening the way it should, nothing and no one can stop us from fulfilling our desire to worship; and a worshiping group of people will accomplish great things for God.